A specialist gas generator designer and provider is gearing up for home and international growth as it aims to double turnover.

In House Gas co-owners Alison Patrick and Edna Sinclair believe they are in a position to capitalise on the hard work they have put in since assuming control.

When they took over two years ago the firm was a niche supplier to UK laboratories.

Now, following investment in research and development, it is confident a revamped product line up can be sold into several industries.

The industrial market has been identified as ripe for development and there are plans to move into the oil, food and drink sectors plus drive forward sales of larger generator products.

It has also built up links with customers in Canada, Egypt, Syria and Iran and is currently in negotiations with Chinese companies.

Patrick, 32, said: "When we started off we had no overseas resellers at all and simply sold direct to mainly repeat customers.

"We introduced our company to new customers, industry sectors and set up a large network of resellers throughout the world which has increased our turnover.

"When we took over we mainly had a laboratory product line and we purchased compressors for our generators from one of the big companies. But since then we have brought on our own range of compressors.

"We have also developed an industrial nitrogen generator which we are just bringing to market and is going in to industrial and university sites."

Back in 2000, the business was turning over around £200,000 but the firm expects that to hit up to £380,000 in 2008.

And already there are plans to increase that figure by £400,000 in the next three years.

The company, based near the village of Killearn, has been supported by enterprise agency STEP Business Gateway in Stirling.

Due to its ambitious plans it has been elevated to growth pipeline status which means it can access additional support and expertise from Scottish Enterprise.

Patrick is keen to further develop international connections and wants to set up more distributors in the Middle East.

She said: "We attracted a number of resellers by a constant programme of providing training and inviting them across here.

"Our Syrian distributor came here for training and that resulted in a number of sales.

"Really it all about is spending the time with them, sending out all the relevant information and being as helpful as we can.

"Getting people across has helped them understand the products and the company in terms of where we lie in the marketplace."

Now the company is focusing its attention on the potentially lucrative Chinese market.

Patrick added: "At the moment we are working very closely with a company in China in Beijing.

"We are spending a lot of time and resources on that project as we hope it will be a very fruitful marketplace for us.

"We are building a good relationship with them. Gas generators are still fairly uncommon so we are hitting the market at the right time."

In House Gas products range from £1,700 for a small generator to £100,000 for the largest product with more information at www.inhousegas.com.